Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1887-06-25
ENDED %GLORIOUSLY.
The Fourth" With Miss Polyphe-
mia and Faithful Barty.

All day long the bell on Miss Poly
phemia's shop door had been dancing
and tinkling like mad. Boys gave
such Jerks, And it'seemed to Miss Poly
phemia that more boys had entered the
shop that day than in the whole fifteen
years that ii had been a shop. She did
not approve Of boys, and had taken
pains not to keep any thing on her
shelves that could attract them. When
she began business she had several jars
full Of licorice and colt's-toot sticks,
and very bitter hoarhound drops which
she expected to sell 10 old ladies who
bought their sewing silk OF her, But
the boys discovered that a better bar
gain was to be had at Miss Polyphemia's
than at the confectioner's around the
corner, and they began to buy these
dainties Of her. The result was that
Miss Polyphemia put the Jars away in
a closet when they were empty, and
never had them reflled. She had
rigidlv avoided marbles and toys and
slate-pencils, and no boys except those
sent on errands, who were necessary
evils, had ever darkencd her doors
until to-day.
But to-day! If there was a boy in
Plumleyville between the ages of siX-
teen and two who hadn't been in that
shop to-day, Miss Polyphemia would
like to see him. And she felt as if all
nerves were dancing like the bell, and
her big dog, Lord George, upon
whom she relied as a protector, had
become so disturbed in mind that he
growled even in the middle of his nap.
Miss Polyphemia almost lamented
the thrifty New England blood in her
veins which had led her to accept old
Jerry Dobson's offer to pay in fire
works the bill which had been due for
six years, and which she had regarded
as a total loss. Old Jerry had no
money to pay with, but his son-in-law
had come into possession of a bankrupt
stock of fireworks. As it event agin
his grain to cheat women folks any
how he had brought Miss Polyphe-
mia a great quantity of fireworks, and
offered to rig EN- up kind of amazin''
in her shop-window, and 'bein' twas
the Fourth, she couldn't help maxim q
pooty spec on EN-"
"A pretty speculation was a thine
dear to Miss Polyphemia's heart, an,
she scarcely thought of the boys. Sh,
had had so little experience with then
since she abandoned h%oarhound drop
and came into possession of Lore
George-who had a deep-rooted hatrcC
and a keen scent for boys-that sh,
had almost forgotten how they set he
teeth on edge.
1t was in the shades of evening tina
Jerry Dobson had rugged up" tn
window, and it certainly was "amazin''
with not only fireworks Of almost ever,
kind, but trumpets and whistles, an,
II and guns, red and purpl
balloons, and American flags.
THAT winder was a hull Fourth O
July by ITSELF" old Jerry proudly re
marked. ut could all but whist
Yankee Doodle"
But when Miss Polyphemia, peepin
cautiously out of the window in he
night-cap at six o'clock in the morn
ing, saw a row of boys three deep o
the sidewalk gazing in open-mouthe
admiration at the window, she symp;
thized with Lord George, who refuse
his breakfast, and sat at the shop doc
and howled.
Boys came by one and by twos an
by dozens-boys large and small, DO,
ragged and dirty, boys clean al
whole, boys with money and D.,
without. But in all the variety the
was not one who did not jerk the doc
and there were some who came half
dozen times TO inquire the prices Whit
were marked upon the articles
plainly that they could easily be Sc,
from the street. But the none
drawer was filling up, and Miss Pol
phemia's trading bump struggled ha
against her nerves. This day was ,
most gone, and there would be b
one more before the Fourth of Jul
She might be able TO live and preser
her senses through that, she though
as she went into her little sitting-roo
behind the shop to refresh herself wi
n hasty cup of tea. She had Just tax
the first sip when jing-a-ling went t
bell, a real boys jerk.
1t was not a promising customer W
stood before the counter when M
%Polyphemia went out; her practic
eye discerned that mt once. II "
hard to tell where the original ma
rial of his clothes ended and [
patches began, and his freckled IA
looked thin and care-worn. Althou
he was clean and whole, it was writ,
all over him from his thick crop
t%ow-colored hair to the toes OF his DO
that Poverty had him under her thun
He inquired the price Of Roman c.
dies.
at is marked on them; II you !
looked You would have seen," s
Miss Po~lyphemia, severely. But
did repeat the price, rs he raise
pair of brave blue eyes TO hers.
He took n few pennies from
pockets and counted them over tv
with a detected look. Clearly tn
wcrc not enough, and counting ii
thrco times did not mako them